Over 150 farmers in the Upper East region have been introduced to improved soil management practices to boost Bambara groundnut yields, under field demonstrations led by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI).
The initiative is funded by Grow Further, a Seattle (USA) based nonprofit that has the mission of empowering everyone to create a food-secure world.
Speaking during field demonstrations at Googo in the Bawku West District, Dr. Patrick Attamah, a Bambara Groundnut Breeder at CSIR-SARI’s Manga Station, said the project aimed to address low yields and revive interest in Bambara production, especially among women farmers.
“We taught farmers to prepare compost and biochar last year, and this season, we’ve applied them, along with inorganic fertilizers, to show yield differences,” Dr. Attamah explained. “Using half rates of Yara Legume, which contains low nitrogen with higher phosphorus and potassium, doubled yields compared to no fertilizer. In contrast, full rate NPK 15-15-15 showed no significant yield increase.”
In organic trials, combining half-rate biochar with compost resulted in the highest yield increases, showing farmers that locally available materials like compost and biochar can significantly improve production. Dr. Attamah emphasized Bambara’s resilience, noting that despite terminal drought conditions, farmers managed to harvest, demonstrating the crop’s potential to support food security in climate-challenged regions.
Dr. Attamah emphasized the crop’s high market value, noting that Bambara groundnut currently fetches a higher price per kilogram than cowpea or soybean and competes closely with groundnuts. He added that its nutritional profile — rich in protein, Carbohydrates, fiber, and essential minerals — strengthens food and nutritional security, especially in households.
“Bambara is a woman’s crop and a crop for the future,” said Dr. Attamah. “Its resilience against drought, as seen this year despite a full month without rain, shows how vital it is for sustaining food systems under climate stress.”
The project also introduced inoculants and various fertilizer treatments, engaging farmers in participatory selection based on cost and output.
District Director of Agriculture for Talensi, Sulemana Mathew, lauded the initiative as timely. “Bambara production was declining due to low yields. Now farmers can see how affordable soil amendments can reverse that,” he said. “We’ll extend these findings to more communities next season.”
Alafia Daniel, an Extension Officer in Bawku West, highlighted labor constraints and lack of improved seeds as major barriers to Bambara cultivation. “Even though it’s a high-protein crop mainly cultivated by women due to low input costs and good market value, harvesting remains tedious and seed varieties haven’t improved for decades,” he noted.
The Grow Further Bambara project not only aims to increase yields by 15-20% but also hopes to revive Bambara as a cash and food crop. With prices per kilogram rivalling groundnut and surpassing cowpea and soybean, farmers stand to benefit economically.
As Dr. Attamah concluded, “This crop is for the future. With minimal investment and the right practices, Bambara groundnut can transform livelihoods and strengthen nutrition in rural and urban households.”
Nyaaba Teni, a female farmer in the Awaradoone community, said she had stopped cultivating Bambara groundnut for some time now due to low yields. But with the methods introduced to them by CSIR-SARI, she anticipates expanding her farm next year, “because some of the methods like biochar are with us here in the community and we don’t need to buy them.”
Another female farmer, Nbayia Ayeebo, thanked CSIR-SARI, saying knowledge gain would aid them in their income to support their families and their wards’ education.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bawku West
